Enemy of My Enemy (Executive Office #2)

by Tal Bauer

The guests upstairs headed down a separate way while Jack, Ethan, and Sergey waited at the top of the Grand Staircase. Jack took Ethan’s hand and laced their fingers together, squeezing once before he looped his arm through Ethan’s. They both heard Sergey’s deep “Aww” as his phone snapped a picture behind them. When “Hail to the Chief” played, Ethan kissed Jack on the lips before they took their first steps together down the stairs, arm in arm. Sergey followed behind, single—he’d left both his ex-wives back in Russia, he said.

They had a few hours left in the evening, but no one would miss them if they sneaked out for a quickie, would they? Scott would no doubt shit a gold-plated brick, emblazoned with the Presidential Seal. It would be worth it.

“Everyone all right?” Scott hollered. “Mr. President?” Two shouts of “fine” rose from both ends of the boat, Jack and Sergey speaking together. “Two fucking presidents. My fucking luck.” Scott’s voice shook.

“L-T,” Doc huffed. “I’m a doc, not a super-secret operative. Sure, I tag along with you to buy camels and get the shit beat out of us, but I’m not one of the big spooks.” “Then you can drive the getaway car.” He snorted at Doc’s elaborate eye-roll

Panting, Doc glared over Noah’s body at Adam. He gestured to the mess, to their failed mission. “So, he recites poetry to you by candlelight and you fuck up his jet and bring him dead bodies?”

He scowled at Elizabeth. “Madam President. Permission to accompany this Goddamn idiot?”